Alpinestars TechAir, MotoGP technology (I)

Some time ago the major suit manufacturers began developing their airbag systems. This is the case of the TechAir from Alpinestars and the D-Air from Dainese. We have been able to see both in the MotoGP and Superbike races, and, truth be told, despite some failures last season due to the novelty, the results are unbeatable.

Without going any further, in the last race Lorenzo’s suit sensors registered that the crash he suffered in practice was 23.5g, a real scare, and he would certainly have had to forget about racing that race if it weren’t for this system.

Some of the early failures were that the system did not deflate properly after a crash, or the deflation time had not been estimated correctly, which meant that when a rider crashed they could not return to the track. Another curiosity was seen last year, I don’t remember exactly which race, when we saw Jorge, after hitting the fuel tank, ride half a lap with his suit inflated on top of the bike.

But all those details have now been ironed out, and Alpinestars is going on the offensive, aiming to market its AirTech for street riders starting this summer.

The truth is that the proposed price is not very affordable for most wallets, since we are talking about around 6,000 euros, or 2,300 euros for the version without airbag. It must be taken into account that it is innovative technology, which is why it is so expensive. I wish all of us who ride motorcycles could have this safety, but surely in the future it will be more accessible.

There are currently other options that are more affordable but use completely different systems; an example of these is the Brembo Life Jacket.

Source | Alpinestars

Photos | Blog.goo-net.com, motorcyclistonline.com